--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A good actor must never be in love with…" description: "\"A good actor must never be in love with anyone but himself.\" — Jean Anouilh" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/jean-anouilh-7113_actor_a-good-actor-must-never-be-in-love-with_197061.jpg" --- # A good actor must never be in love with anyone but himself. ![“A good actor must never be in love with anyone but himself.” quote by Jean Anouilh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/jean-anouilh-7113_actor_a-good-actor-must-never-be-in-love-with_197061.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/jean-anouilh-7113_actor_a-good-actor-must-never-be-in-love-with_197061.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/jean-anouilh-7113_actor_a-good-actor-must-never-be-in-love-with_197061.jpg) > “A good actor must never be in love with anyone but himself.” [Jean Anouilh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-anouilh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A performer should prioritize self-awareness and personal integrity over external attachments. **In simple terms:** Actors need self‑love, not romantic distraction. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑respect before seeking love. Themes self‑awareness integrity artistry Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - audition preparation - role immersion - career decisions - personal relationships Key Concepts ego identity professionalism Questions to Reflect On - How does self‑love differ from selfishness? - Can an actor be both self‑aware and empathetic? A Different Perspective Self‑obsession can hinder collaboration and empathy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [I personally was driven to be an actor for the love of telling a story. It was very closely linked to being a reader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/i-personally-was-driven-to-be-an-actor-for-the-love-of-telling-a/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [Actually, I started to become an actress because I met someone who was just a friend and I found his life wonderful, I thought,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lea-seydoux/actually-i-started-to-become-an-actress-because-i-met-someone-who-was/) [Lea Seydoux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lea-seydoux/) > [I am not a television actor, so much love coming my way makes me humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-vaidya/i-am-not-a-television-actor-so-much-love-coming-my-way-makes-me-humble/) [Rahul Vaidya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-vaidya/) > [As an actor, I love playing something kind of outside of who I am as a real person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-prentice/as-an-actor-i-love-playing-something-kind-of-outside-of-who-i-am-as-a/) [Justin Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-prentice/) > [I always wanted to be a character actor. I love watching movies where you dont recognize someone because theyre so lost in the part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-elliott/i-always-wanted-to-be-a-character-actor-i-love-watching-movies-where/) [Alison Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-elliott/) > [I'm an actor. I love to create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-murphy/i-m-an-actor-i-love-to-create/) [Brittany Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany-murphy/) > [I see myself as an actor with a love of music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-see-myself-as-an-actor-with-a-love-of-music/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I'm an actor. I love to act. That's my job. I'll leave the politicking to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/i-m-an-actor-i-love-to-act-that-s-my-job-i-ll-leave-the-politicking/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [Any actor would love to just pick up a script and be like, 'I can connect to this person, and I can see myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percelle-ascott/any-actor-would-love-to-just-pick-up-a-script-and-be-like-i-can/) [Percelle Ascott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percelle-ascott/) > [It would be difficult to break away from a set image, but as an actor, one would love to experiment with roles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alok-nath/it-would-be-difficult-to-break-away-from-a-set-image-but-as-an-actor/) [Alok Nath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alok-nath/) > [As an actor, I would love to do an out and out comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huma-qureshi/as-an-actor-i-would-love-to-do-an-out-and-out-comedy/) [Huma Qureshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huma-qureshi/) > [I truly love being an actor. I love it with all my heart and soul, and I hope that I get to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-klein/i-truly-love-being-an-actor-i-love-it-with-all-my-heart-and-soul-and/) [Chris Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-klein/) > [I really love Robert Duvall, who I think is maybe the best American actor. I love Robert Duvall because the ability that he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-forsythe/i-really-love-robert-duvall-who-i-think-is-maybe-the-best-american/) [William Forsythe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-forsythe/) > [I'm an actor, so I love to be degraded!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-rossum/i-m-an-actor-so-i-love-to-be-degraded/) [Emmy Rossum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-rossum/) > [As an actor, I love being pushed. I love the feeling of, "Oh my god, I have to keep trying. What else is there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiri-appleby/as-an-actor-i-love-being-pushed-i-love-the-feeling-of-oh-my-god-i/) [Shiri Appleby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiri-appleby/) ## More by Jean Anouilh > [“I spit on your happiness! I spit on your idea of life--that life that must go on, come what may. You are all like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anouilh/i-spit-on-your-happiness-i-spit-on-your-idea-of-life-that-life-that/) [Jean Anouilh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-anouilh/) > [It is restful, tragedy, because one knows that there is no more lousy hope left. You know you're caught, caught at last like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anouilh/it-is-restful-tragedy-because-one-knows-that-there-is-no-more-lousy/) [Jean Anouilh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-anouilh/) > [Saintliness is also a temptation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anouilh/saintliness-is-also-a-temptation/) [Jean Anouilh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-anouilh/) > [Propaganda is a soft weapon; hold it in your hands too long, and it will move about like a snake, and strike the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anouilh/propaganda-is-a-soft-weapon-hold-it-in-your-hands-too-long-and-it/) [Jean Anouilh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-anouilh/) > [I don't want people to love me. It makes for obligations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anouilh/i-don-t-want-people-to-love-me-it-makes-for-obligations/) [Jean Anouilh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-anouilh/) > [Poor little men, poor little cocks! As soon as they're old enough, they swell their plumage to be conquerors. If they only knew that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anouilh/poor-little-men-poor-little-cocks-as-soon-as-they-re-old-enough-they/) [Jean Anouilh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-anouilh/) > [Life consists of nothing more than the happiness we can get out of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anouilh/life-consists-of-nothing-more-than-the-happiness-we-can-get-out-of-it/) [Jean Anouilh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-anouilh/) > [Each of us has a day .. when he has to accept, finally, the fact that he is a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anouilh/each-of-us-has-a-day-when-he-has-to-accept-finally-the-fact-that-he/) [Jean Anouilh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-anouilh/) > [We have found other terms far less vague than the old ones to designate the same complaints. It's a great advance linguistically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anouilh/we-have-found-other-terms-far-less-vague-than-the-old-ones-to/) [Jean Anouilh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-anouilh/) > [One can be a patriot, you know, without making one's wife join the breadline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anouilh/one-can-be-a-patriot-you-know-without-making-one-s-wife-join-the/) [Jean Anouilh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-anouilh/) > [All prisons are brimming over with innocence. It is those who cram their fellows into them, in the name of empty ideas, who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anouilh/all-prisons-are-brimming-over-with-innocence-it-is-those-who-cram/) [Jean Anouilh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-anouilh/) > [Obligations, hatreds, injuries; what did I expect my memories to be? I was forgetting remorse. Now I have a complete past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anouilh/obligations-hatreds-injuries-what-did-i-expect-my-memories-to-be-i/) [Jean Anouilh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-anouilh/) > [We poison our lives with fear of burglary and shipwreck, and, ask anyone, the house is never burgled, and the ship never goes down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anouilh/we-poison-our-lives-with-fear-of-burglary-and-shipwreck-and-ask/) [Jean Anouilh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-anouilh/) > [Je sais de quelles petitesses meurent les plus grandes amours. I know how pettiness ruins the greatest loves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anouilh/je-sais-de-quelles-petitesses-meurent-les-plus-grandes-amours-i-know/) [Jean Anouilh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-anouilh/) > [“My part is not a heroic one, but I shall play my part.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anouilh/my-part-is-not-a-heroic-one-but-i-shall-play-my-part/) [Jean Anouilh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-anouilh/) [Explore all 85 Jean Anouilh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-anouilh/) ## More Actor quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A good actor must never be in love with anyone but himself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jean Anouilh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anouilh/a-good-actor-must-never-be-in-love-with-anyone-but-himself/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anouilh/a-good-actor-must-never-be-in-love-with-anyone-but-himself/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/jean-anouilh-7113_actor_a-good-actor-must-never-be-in-love-with_197061.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/jean-anouilh-7113_actor_a-good-actor-must-never-be-in-love-with_197061.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/jean-anouilh-7113_actor_a-good-actor-must-never-be-in-love-with_197061.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A good actor must never be in love with anyone but himself.” — Jean Anouilh", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jean Anouilh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-anouilh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A good actor must never be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anouilh/a-good-actor-must-never-be-in-love-with-anyone-but-himself/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anouilh/a-good-actor-must-never-be-in-love-with-anyone-but-himself/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```